The Faculty of Dentistry at the University of British Columbia has opened a clinical research centre focusing on best practices and evidence-based patient care thanks to a $1 million donation from Frontier Dental Laboratories.
Named the Frontier Clinical Research Centre, the new initiative allows researchers and industry participants to evaluate and generate scientific data for existing procedures and materials.
“This gift will ensure that B.C. continues to maintain the highest standards of dentistry,” says Dr. Charles Shuler, Faculty of Dentistry Dean. “The Frontier Clinical Research Centre will be an important resource for oral health providers, industry professionals and patients.”
“The rate of change in approaches to oral health care will continue to increase,” says Shuler, “and it will be imperative for all dentists to have access both to the information and to the experts who can help them choose the best approaches in treating their patients.”
Over the past 40 years, the progression from basic science findings to new dental procedures, new materials, new therapeutics and improvements in oral health has been dramatic. Given the speed of change, the materials and procedures used for routine dental practice are an often overlooked point of the clinical research cycle.
“We’re very excited to work with UBC in this commitment to the highest standards of clinical research,” says Paolo Kalaw, Frontier Dental Laboratories CEO.
“Products need to stand up to claims. For that, we need exacting analyses and robust data,” says Kalaw, a UBC alumnus who studied microbiology.
The Frontier Clinical Research Centre will provide contracted services including protocol review, statistical consultation, budget planning, regulatory compliance, recruitment of subjects, data collection and maintenance, data analysis and report preparation.